Thread tensioning mechanism for textile fabricating machines



Jan[ 19, 1943. A. THOST 2,309,026

THREAD TENSIONINQ MECHANISM FOR TEX'IILE FABRICATING MACHINES Filed Nov. 3, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 o 0 0 d b c 0: L H o o o 0 Q 9 o o i 1 Ennentot attorney 2 Sheets-Sheet '2' /Z&

A. THOST Filed Nov. 5, 1941 Jan. 19, 1943.

THREAD TENSIONING MECHANISM FOR TEXTILE FABRICATING MACHINES Patented Jan. 19, 1943 i 2,309,026

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THREAD TENSIONING. MECHANISM FOR TEXTILE FABR-ICATING MACHINES Albert Thost, Womelsdorf, Pa., assignor to The Nolde and Horst Company, Reading, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 3, 1941, Serial No. 417,610

I 5 Claims. (01. 66-146) My invention relates to yarn tensioning mech- Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view of anism for textile fabricating machines, and more my tension bar, the thread guide eye being shown particularly to a new and simplified means for in position to freely pass the feeding yarn. equalizing and Jointly regulating the tension of Fig. 4 is a view corresponding to Fig. 3, showthe several yarns simultaneously fed to each sec- 5 ing the guide eye inclined by turning of the rod tion of a usual multi-section knitting machine; so as to exert tension on the yarn by forming my object being to insure greater uniformity abight therein.

Fig. 5 is another view corresponding to Fig. 3,

and more perfect knitting throughout each machine section, with better and more evenly turned but showing the rod turned further so as to inselvage edges and reenforced areas of added yarn l creasingly incline its guide eye to exert greater in each such section. tension on the yarn than that shown in Fig. 4. In usual multi-section machines aforesaid, the Fig. 6 is a fragmental sectional elevation, corknown and common practice heretofore has been responding with Fig. 1, but showing a fixed to individually tension each yarn by means of a mounting for my tension rods.

1 Fig. '1 is a cross sectional elevation, correspondsnapper therefor having an independently adiusted spring plate pressing on the feeding yam; ing generally to that of Fig. 1, but indicatin and while series of such snappers have been how my improvements may be simply applied in heretofore jointly swung to simultaneously replace of the heretofore commonly used snapper lieve the tension of their individual spring plates tension devices, and operated from the main cam on the yarn, it has been found impossible to shaft through apositive rack and gear drive conequalize or maintain uniformity of these indenection. pendent spring tensions, with the result of un- Fig. 8 is a fragmentary enlarged detail of Fig. desirable lack of uniformity in the separate fab- 7, showing the guide tension rods and their posirics knitted on the multi sections of the mative drive mechanism. In the drawings my invention is shown as apchine, and more particularly in more or less uneven and ragged selvage edges and reenforced plied to a straight bar knitting machine, but it areas. will be understood that it is not limited to such I My present invention relates to new and simmachine, and that its application to other maplified means that may, if desired, be substituted chines may be readily understood from this disfor the heretofore unsatisfactory snapper closure.

means with little change otherwise of the ma- The straight bar knitting machine indicated chine construction, and it consists essentially of in the drawings, is so well known as to be reada guide bar or rod extending longitudinally of ily understood from the cross sectional view y comprises 'multi-sections the machine and across all the multi knitting thereof, and commonl sections, said bar having separate guide apertures, each having a straight needle bar fed'by one or more carriers, said sections being longitudinally one for each of the plurality of yarns employed,-

and means to axially rotate said bar or red so alinedand all jointly operated to simultaneously as to simultaneously form equalized tension produce a plurality of like flat knitted fabrics in bights in all the yarns carried thereby. The a usual and known manner. nature of my improvements and the manner of 40 Referring to the drawings, I indicates the knittheir operation will be more fully described hereting needles, 2 the usual sinkers and/or dividers, inafter in connection with, the accompanying 3 yam carriers longitudinally reciprocated along drawings, and the novel features thereof spetheir respective sections of needles to feed yarn cifically setforth in the appended claims. to the latter, 5 the main cam shaft having cams jointly operating the mechanism for all the knit- I In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic crosssectionai elevation showing a simple embodiment of my invening yarn to the several carriers, 1 a usual liquid tion as applicable to a usual and well known treating bath for the feeding yarn, and 8 a usual straight bar knitting machine, only such es'senring tension device, all as heretofore commonly tial parts of the machine being indicated as sufemployed and operating in known manner. The ficient to fully disclose the nature and manner termv yarn herein used, and in the claims, is of operation of my improved yarn tensioning intended as a generic term for any strand or mechanism. thread that may be used.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the two My improved yarn tensioning guide member is I shown in the drawings in the forms of a rod ill,

tension rods shown in Fig. 1.

ting sections as heretofore, 6 the'bobbins supply- 1 extending longitudinally of the machine and of a single length, or component Jointly actuated lengths, sufiicient to extend across all of the multi knitting sections of the machine. The drawings show also a second like rod II, as preferably employed to better divide the several yarns fed to each knitting section, and both rods III and II are shown as having diametral yarn guide eyes I2 disposed along their length so that each section will have its required number of yarns.

It is essential for my present purposes that the rods I and H shall beturned on their longitudinal axes so as to bend like tensioning bights thereon in all the yarns engaging their several guide eyes I2, and in the drawings I have shown the rods I0 and II as mounted in suitable bearings on carrying arms I5, one end of each of the latter being pivotally connected at I6 to a fixed frame member, and the other end of each connected by a link arm I I to a lever arm I8 having a cam engaging roller I9 and a pivotal support 20. Suitable earns 25, on cam shaft 5 are adapted to jointly swing the levers I2 and arms I5, preferably against the bias of a spring 26, so as to bodily raise and lower the rods I0 and I I. To maintain the rods I0 and I I from bending, it will be understood that a suitable number of properly spaced arms I5 will be employed with requisite numbers of levers IB and cams 25 to jointly actuate them, and arms I5 may be united for more accurate joint action as by a longitudinal tie rod 29. The required axial turning of said rods I 0 and I I to tension their yarns, is shown as produced during the bodily raising and lowering movements of said rods, by means of one or more straps or chains 30, each adjustably connected at 3| to a lever arm I8, at one end, and extending around a fixed roller 32, with its other end bifurcated and one end bent around and connected to a drum -I3 on rod I0, and the other end bent around and connected to a drum I4 on rod I I. A spring 33 is preferably interposed in said strap length so as to ease any undue strains that may occur. As the levers I8 and arms I5 are jointly raised by their cams 25, a pulling acting will be exerted on each strap 30 so as to axially turn the rods I0 and II in their bearings on arms I5. A fixed rod 30' may be employed to suitably lead theseveral threads to their guide eyes I2 in rods I0 and II.

The treating bath I, and ring tension devices 8, with perhaps other tensioning means for certain knitting, are more or less constant, but there are times that additional tension is desirable. One added need for increased tension is recognized to take up yarn slack and tighten the loops as the carriers reach the end of their feed tension and reverse their feeding movements, and my improved tension rods I0, and II, insure the same slack take-up and equalize increased tensions of all the yarns to form like, even, neat selvages, free of projecting loose loops and ragged edges due when individually tensioned yarns have improper tension. Rod I0 may carry the main yarn producing the side edge selvages, and rod II, may carry added yarn for reinforced areas, which have their own return feed intermediate the fabric width, and in some cases one rod for all yarns may suflice.

In my improved construction the cams 5, are set to act as the carriers reverse their feed to form the salvage edges, and lift levers I8, and through links I'I, raise arms [5, with their rods I0, and II. This lifting of rods I0, and H, at once takes up any loose slack thrown by the momentum of the carrier, and as the rod th'us lifts, strap 30, act as above described to axially turn the rods to form tension bights in the yarns and, as all yarns are equally acted on, uniform tension throughout the machine is assumed.

In some cases it may not be necessary to lift the rods I (I, and I I, to take up slack, and in Fig. 6, I have shown the rods Ia and Ila as rotatably mounted in fixed brackets I5a and slack take up and increased tension solely effected by increased turning of rods I Ila, and Ho, say to the degree indicated in Fig. 5.

In the knitting machine indicated in Figs. 7 and 8, the tension rods lb and I Ib are shown as substituted for the usual rods heretofore employed and on which the snappers were formerly mounted, these rods lllb and II b being provided with the necessary number of guide eyes I 2b, and their rotation to produce tensioning bights, effected by positive means from the main cam 'shaft 5b. The means employ a simple adaptation of the means heretofore to rock the snapper" carrying rods, and consists of spring biased cam actuated lever I8b operating an eye rod 40, the upper end of which carries gear rack 4I held by roller 42 in meshed engagement with a half gear 43 on rod Illb. And rod Illb carries a sprocket gear 44 connected by a link or roller chain 45 to a sprocket 46 on rod lib. It will be noted that rod Illb rotates at a speed determined by its rack gear drive, andthat the smaller gear on rod I Ib causes the chain 45 to rotate said rod I Ib approximately twice as fast as rod Illb, which increased rotation is' found desirable for increased tensioning of yarns employed in splicing and like operations.

From the foregoing disclosure it will be readily seen that my improved tensioning mechanism may be readily substituted for the unsatisfactory snappers heretofore employed; that It insures equalized and uniform tension of all like employed yarns; and provides for regulating and varying all yarn tensions equally by simply controlling the rotary movements of the tension rods; and that it may be readily adapted to any other type of textile machine to exert equalized controlled tension of a plurality of yarns.

The particular embodiments above set forth and described are merely indicative and may of course be changed and modified within the scope of my invention as defined in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. A yarn equalizing tensioning mechanism for textile fabricating machines, comprising an axially turnable rod having a plurality of diametral yarn guide eyes, cam controlled means for alining said guide eyes with their engaged yarns to freely pass the latter, and cam means for axially turning said rod so as to incline said guide eyes to their engaged yarns and form like tensioning bights in each rod guided yam.

2. A yarn equalizing tensioning mechanism for textile fabricating machines, comprising a bodily movable and axially turnable yarn tensioning guide member having a diametral yam guide eye normally alined with its engaged yarn to freely pass the latter, and means for simultaneously bodily moving and axially turning said guide member so as to angularly incline said guide eye to its engaged yarn and form thereon a slack take-up and tensioning bight in the yarn.

3. In a knitting machine having a row of knitting needles and a yarn carrier reversely traversed along said row of needles to feed yarn asoaoac to the latter, a tension mechanism for said yarn, comprising a rod mounted to axially rotate in parallel relation to said row of needles, a diametral yarn guide eye in said rod normally positioned in alinement with its engaged yarn to freely pass the latter, and cam mechanism operative at each reversal of said carrier traverse to axially turn said rod and wind thereon a tensioning bight of yarn.

4. In a muitisection knitting machine having sectional rows of knitting needles and a separate carrier reversely traversed along each sectional row of needles to feed yarn to the latter, a common tensioning mechanism for all the separate carrier yarns comprising, a rod extending longitudinally across all of said knitting needle sections and mounted to axially rotate in parallel relation to the latter, a plurality of yarn guide eyes spaced along the length of said rod to feed yarn to the respective carriers, cam means for normally turning said rod to aline its guide eyes with their respective yarns so as to freely pass the latter, and cam means operative at each reversal oi the traverse of said carrier to axially turnsaid. rod and wind thereon equal tension-' ing bights of all the yarns.

5. In a multisection knitting machine having sectional rows of knitting needles and a separate carrier reversely traversed along each sectional row of needles to feed yarn to the latter, a common tensioning mechanism for all the separate carrier yarns comprising, a rod extending longltudinally across all of said knitting needle sec tions and mounted to axially rotate and bodily move in parallel relation to the latter, a plurality of yarn guide eyes spaced along the length of said rod to feed yarn to the respective carriers, cam means for normally lowering said rod relatively to said needle rows and simultaneously turning said rod to aline its guide eyes with their respective yarns so as to freely pass the latter, and cam means operative at each reversal of the traverse of said carrier to raise said rod relatively to said needles so as to take up all yarn slacks and simultaneously to axially turn said rod and wind thereon equal tensioning bights of all the yarns.

ALBERT THOST. 

